My Seventy-third - State Fair ready to puree -100 Meals You Never Thought You Would Eat Pureed - Recipes for Head and Neck Cancer patients

My Seventy-third - State Fair ready to puree -100 Meals You Never Thought You Would Eat Pureed - Recipes for Head and Neck Cancer patients

It is state and county fair season across the United State of America.  Just yesterday, I was fishing with a long, long time, friend of mine Bill Carruth, and after a morning of fishing we stopped at a Friendly's Restaurant for lunch.  I had packed my portable blender, so all I needed was an electric plug outlet.  Worked great - and I brought the extras home.

The point being that a State Fair or a County Fair all you need is your portable blender and an electrical outlet.  The foods listed below are examples of "FAIR FOODS" where you can just add water.

REMEMBER TO MAKE IT "THIN" so it pour easier


CORN DOG
This heads off my list, because a friend of mine, Paul Caruso, just had his first corn dog at 54 years old.  Yes, you can add mustard or ketchup to this puree

FUNNEL CAKE
I know you want it . . .  This is basicly a greasy waffle

FRIED DOUGH
This is basicly funnel Cake with an unsophisticated name.  It is very popular at New England Fairs

HUSHPUPPIES
they are like a corn version of funnel cake donut holes

STRAWBERRY SHORTCAKE
Ease up on the whip cream as it will make the puree very foamy, use ice cream instead

FRIED POTATOES
Enough Said

DEEP FRIED PICKLE
Yea, it's a thing, puree it longer then you think you might

CHERRY PIE
Most fruit pies work well.  SKIP THE CRUST for a thinner puree.

COTTON CANDY
OK, it will make a mess, so you may need to find a real bathroom sink to clean every up . . . .

BAKLAVA
FAB-U-LOUS make sure you puree the nuts well

Make sure you chase these meal down with a runny milkshake or frappe.  In a pinch, ice cream in a cup after 30 minutes in the hot summer sun works too . . .

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My Seventy-second - Rack of Lamb -100 Meals You Never Thought You Would Eat Pureed - Recipes for Head and Neck Cancer patients

My Seventy-second - Rack of Lamb -100 Meals You Never Thought You Would Eat Pureed - Recipes for Head and Neck Cancer patients.

Once or twice a year I was "ALLOWED" to have rack of lamb,  my wife as an issue with the smell.  However, the smell is why it has to be added to the list.  Lamb with fresh rosemary has a fabulous aroma, which is so important in a pureed dish.  Although, I miss being able to bite every bit of lamb off the ribs (like searching for meat in a crab),  being able to enjoy lamb again is great.

Grilling or slow cooking lamb on the porch is wonderful.  My sister-in-law, Dorothy came over last night, and she is a huge fan of lamb, so I splurged with Roasted lamb, roasted potatoes, cucumber and black bean salad.  AHHHHHHHH this is the life.  I'm saving the asparagus for the leftovers for today.


SERVING
meat from three ribs
1 small roasted potato
2 asparagus
extra rosemary

thin with beef stock, or water


LAMB
Since you are pureeing the lamb, use lose most of the benefits of buying expensive rib of lamb.  This is a go time to substitute leg of lamb if needed.  Make sure that you cook the lamb all the way through - for safety sake.

ROASTED POTATOES
I love rosemary with roasted potatoes.  You can use whichever starch floats your boat.  But when the snow starts to fall, I go into roasted potatoes mode.

ROSEMARY
The smell and takes of rosemary really working well.  There are not that many dishes that "REQUIRE" rosemary so I highly recommend going with fresh rosemary

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My Seventy-first - Steak au poivre -100 Meals You Never Thought You Would Eat Pureed - Recipes for Head and Neck Cancer patients

My Seventy-first - Steak au poivre -100 Meals You Never Thought You Would Eat Pureed - Recipes for Head and Neck Cancer patients.

This one is dedicated to my son, ALEC HOYLAND.

Yesterday, was my wife's birthday, and our son joined us for dinner.  Now both of them knew that the fancy place, did not have anything that I could eat without making a fuss, and that is OK with me - it wasn't my birthday.  However, my son knew that I loved steak au poivre in my day.  As he was reading the menu online, he commented that I would really love the food there.   It's the first place that I have heard of in Massachusetts that served Walleye.

I used to work at the French Restaurant that served both steak au poivre and duck au poivre - flamed at table side.  Great food . . .  I used to ask my customers, HOW WOULD YOU LIKE YOUR PEPPERCORNS - MILD, SPICY, OR WHAT WAS I THINKING?????????

So, my son deliberately ordered more food than he could eat, so we had food to bring home to puree.  My son and I are a perfect match. because he hates the fat on his meat, and I love the fat on my meat, which means he saved me all the fat - YUM

The recipe below is a single serving, especially for use when you have a leftover piece of ribeye.


SERVING
1 unit ribeye
1 unit starch - potato, rice, or pasta
2 shots of red wine
1 shot of Cognac
small spoon of green peppercorns  (because they are zesty and soft)
1/4 cup of heavy cream

thin with beef stock


STEAK
Remember that if you need too, cut the steak into smaller pieces before you add it to the blender

LIP SIPPERS
For those that are sipping the puree, make sure that the beef stock has been warmed.  This is definitely a dish that need to be served like a warm soup.  My blender has a soup setting, so mine will puree and warm the dish.

GREEN PEPPERCORNS
Green peppercorns are hard to judge for spiciness.  Remember you are blending them, so they will be at maximum spiciness.

BEEF STOCK
This meal is all about tasting the beef.  This favor will stay with you a long time, so is an excellent choice, is you are worried about someone not eating enough - plenty of protien, plenty of fat, plenty of carbs.   OK, we left out the veggies, but we are really going for comfort with this one.

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Shared Steak au Poivre 

My Seventieth - Deep Fried Haddock, coleslaw, and Fries -100 Meals You Never Thought You Would Eat Pureed - Recipes for Head and Neck Cancer patients

My Seventieth - Deep Fried Haddock, coleslaw, and Fries -100 Meals You Never Thought You Would Eat Pureed - Recipes for Head and Neck Cancer patients

My wife and daughter just got back from a trip from Maine,  They brought me a doggy bag of deep fried Haddock - Yum.  Truth be told, I rarely order fried Haddock, because there was usually fried calamari or fried clams on the menu, and I would order those first.  However, both of those are a little trickier to puree, so I will give you my recipe for Haddock, and if you are daring you can move on to Calamari or clams

I used to have a roommate who would make Portuguese style calamari, and lets just say it's not like his mom used to make, so I was very turned off on squid for years.  Not to mention squid is my favorite bait for bluefish fishing.   It wasn't until my brother-in-law, Dana surprised us at lunch with an appetizer of fried Calamari that I fell in love.

I used to work in Andover, Mass. where fish on Fridays during Lent was a pretty popular dish, and a friend and I used to go out for lunch every Friday.  One restaurant only served fried haddock on Fridays, so they could dedicate one fryolator to haddock,  which made it taste special

SERVING
1 unit fried haddock
1/2 unit of fries
1 unit coleslaw
1 small scoop of tartar sauce

OPTION
50% of non-alcoholic beer to water


COD SCROD SCHROD OR HADDOCK
Now, the old New England tale is that if you see SCROD it is made from Small COD, if you see SCHROD it is made from Small HADDOCK.  Anyway you slice it it, it is still going to be pureed.  Best part is that you can just drop pieces into a blender

CHEESE
No really, some people put cheese on their fried fish.  OK, I have pureed a McDonald's filet o fish sandwich and it does have cheese.  No need for fries if you puree the bun.

SAUCES
Go light on your sauces.  Remember that pickles can overwhelm a meal

BEER
I have added a little non-alcoholic beer to give it that authentic taste

FRIES
For me, this meal is about the fish, not the fries,  You may not need many fries in the puree depending on the thickness of the batter.

I typically keep frozen breaded fried fish in the freezer

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My Sixty-nine - Burger and fries -100 Meals You Never Thought You Would Eat Pureed - Recipes for Head and Neck Cancer patients

My Sixty-nine - burger and fries -100 Meals You Never Thought You Would Eat Pureed - Recipes for Head and Neck Cancer patients

Last night, I was going through the list and realized I had not included one of the most important American Meals.  It had escaped my thoughts because I had posted veggie burgers earlier.  The real reason for this post is fries.  Hot out of the oil fries.  Hot out of the oil fries with just the right amount of seasoning.  Hot out of the oil fries with just the right amount of seasoning and a whole lot of ketchup . . . . YUM.

When I was in my teens, I used to love going to Friendly's Restaurant and ordering hot out of the fryer french fries and have them top it with marshmallow - don't judge me, until you have tried it.

The biggest issue with burgers and fries is that, in America, the burger and fries is a HUGE meal.  It was tough to figure out how to make a single serving size.  So this recipe makes a 4 cup serving

FOUR CUP SIZE
1 burger
Same size unit of fries
2 dashes of ketchup
1 unit burger toppings

OPTION
1 cup of non-alcoholic beer


BURGER
A typically, hot of the grill burger is 1/4 to 1/2 pound thick burger.  I make 1/2 pound hand formed burgers.  I typically use beef instead of bison for burgers, because it has more fat.  Make sure that the meat is cooked all the way through.  If you have to cut it up and finish the burger in a saucepan DO IT!!

CHEESE
As always, I caution tube feeders, with using too much cheese, as it has a tendency to clog the tubes.  It doesn't take much cheese to add flavor, especially if it is chedder.  I'm also a fan of a little blue cheese, and I mean a little, as it can overwhelm everything.

BURGER TOPPINGS
I highly recommend lettuce, onions, and tomatoes.  If you like grilled onions - GO FOR IT!  Mushrooms work well too. And of course I like a little bacon too.

SAUCES
Go light on your sauces, because you can always add more later.  This includes Ketchup, Mustard, Mayo, and Steak Sauce.  All of these can be stirred into your cup later if needed.

BUNS LESS
Skip it.  The fries is your starch.   If you really like the tasted of a buttered grill bun, you can cut that part off the bun and add it, I won't judge  . . .

BEER
I have added a little non-alcoholic beer to give it that authentic taste

FRIES
OK, I made you read through the whole blog, before I talked about the most important reason - FRIES.  First, we have to talk about something really important.  PUREED FRIES ALONE IS SOCIALLY UNACCEPTABLE.  Do it in the privacy of your own home.  Yes, tater tots and ketchup taste wonderful.  But that is not a meal, so I won't expound on the wonderfulness that is pureed fried potatoes alone . . . don't judge me . . .

Remember, every potato has a different level of moisture, so it will be hard to judge how much potato to use in your puree.  Even potatoes that sit on a counter for a while, after they are cooked, will dry out a bit.  This is where experience with pureeing comes in handy.  It might take a couple of tries to get the right mix of potatoes to burger.

Potato skins might also be an issue for tube feeders, especially if you like for fries "well done", as the ends of the fries might burn.

TUBE FEEDERS
If you have an issue with your stomach tube clogging, this might be the one of the meals that I recommend "screening" before you run it through the tube.  There is always a concern about bits of bone and cartilage in the burger


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My old local Friendly's

My Sixty-eighth - Sauteed Sea Scallops -100 Meals You Never Thought You Would Eat Pureed - Recipes for Head and Neck Cancer patients

My Sixty-eighth  - Sauteed Sea Scallops - 100 Meals You Never Thought You Would Eat Pureed - Recipes for Head and Neck Cancer patients

DEDICATED TO MY MOM - Peggy Hoyland, who used to order scallops when we went out for "fancy dinners".

August is always a big month to go to the ocean beach, then hit a fried clam shack on the way back.  Deep fried scallops and deep fried Calamari were always my favorites.  Although, both can be pureed there are less issues with scallops.  Back at my house, I don't have a deep fryer, so I will saute on my grill.  Whether they are bay scallops of sea scallops, they saute to a tenderness that is perfect for pureeing.

Now, when I said "ocean beach", I certainly did not mean with bathing towels, I meant surf casting.  Although, I have only caught one striper and one bluefish in my life, it is still a goal to catch a 40" striper off the beach.  I hope to catch a bluefish and have a pureed recipe before Fall

1 Unit Sauteed Sea Scallops
1 Unit Sauteed Vegetable
water of broth to thin it to the right thickness


ASIAN DISHES
Pan fried and Stir Fried Scallops are an excellent options when ordering take-out.  Most restaurants have multiple options for a "sauteed" scallop with vegetables without starch.

COASTLINE SEA SCALLOPS
This is one of the recipes that you can indulge your butter and garlic fiend that lives deep inside you.  I also recommend a splash or two of your favorite white wine, since you may have problems drinking it. Sherry works well too.

It only takes about 0ne of two scallops to make a cup of puree.  Use one if the person is having a hard time swallowing.  Be sure to rinse the scallops thoroughly, as the smell can be overwhelming for a person with a hair-trigger gag reflex

THE MAIN THREE VEGETABLES
There tends to be three main vegetables that people serve with Scallops - Asparagus, Spinach, and Broccoli.  Although, Broccoli rabe, kale, and string beans run a close second.  All of them are great sauteed in garlic butter - YUM.

STARCH
I usually don't have starch with my scallops.  I like to really enjoy my scallops as I don't eat them but twice a year.  ALthough is I had too - Rice, Italian pasta, and Chinese noodles would come to mind.


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My Sixty-seventh - Liver Pate -100 Meals You Never Thought You Would Eat Pureed - Recipes for Head and Neck Cancer patients

My Sixty-seventh - Liver Pate - 100 Meals You Never Thought You Would Eat Pureed - Recipes for Head and Neck Cancer patients

OK, OK, OK, I get it Liver Pate is not everyone's cup of tea, but just this morning I had a blog visitor from France visit me while I typed up the Meatloaf blog which got me to thinking about country-style Provence pate with a bottle of Chateau Lyonnat.  For those who love liver pate, like I do, it is definitely something I thought I would never eat again.

I used to work at the Versailles Restaurant in Lexington.  One of the lunch offerings was coarse country style chicken liver pate with a side of french bread and endive -which is where I grew my fondness for coarse pate with brown mustard.

My Grandmother-in-law, Sally, always had chopped liver for a Passover appetizer.  Which turned into vegetarian chopped liver in my household.  It happens.  I viewed it a as Jewish pate.

The point of this is Pate is just a thick puree like mousse. Which reminds me I should start testing Salmon Mousse . . .

I would treat it as the flavoring for a pureed thick "Veggie Juice".  Add a mixture of the OTHER FOODS and a little OPTION FRESH HERBS and/or ADDITIONAL FLAVORING.

Allows you to make small batches and mix up the flavoring.  If you are sipping, I recommend cup sizes of lest than 1/2 cup at a time.  Great for small portable blenders (strain if needed for the tummy tube).


10% pate
40% others foods
50% water
optional flavoring like brown mustard

OPTIONS FRESH HERBS
Rosemary
Basil
Chives
Parsley


OTHER FOODS
Endive
Fresh Spinach
Kale
French bread coutons
hard boiled eggs
peppers raw or roasted
Cherry tomatoes
Carrots
Celery
Bulb onion
Olives
Pickles particularly sour pickles like Cornichon
Cucumber
Fig


ADDITIONAL FLAVORING
Chutney
Cranberry Sauce
Blackberry Jam


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Favorite wine from a good year

My Sixty-sixth - Meatloaf-100 Meals You Never Thought You Would Eat Pureed - Recipes for Head and Neck Cancer patients

My Sixty-sixth - Meatloaf -100 Meals You Never Thought You Would Eat Pureed - Recipes for Head and Neck Cancer patients

So, I posted the Spaghetti and Meatballs the other day, because the bread crumbs in the meatball are a perfect thickener for puree.  And there are a lot of bread and meat combinations

Last Night, my wife and I went out for anniversary dinner at a new restaurant in town Red Heat Tavern.  The issue was that she sprung it on me at the last minute, while we were already in the car.  I didn't have my funnel, and I didn't have my portable puree machine.  But if my wife wants to go out for dinner, we are going out for dinner.  She is used to me not eating in-front of her - which took some getting used to . . .  

Mondays and Tuesdays are typically slow in a restaurant, so I don't mind asking the staff if they can help me puree my food, but last night was our anniversary and I wasn't going to "be that guy" with a new waitstaff.  But I digress . . .

The restaurant is a Southern US grill house style, and the first item on the menu that caught my eye was "Fire-Roasted Meatloaf Marcho Farms beef, pork & veal stuffed w/ smoked cheddar, topped w/ house-made smoked ketchup, BBQ brown gravy & crisp onion strings, garlic mashed potatoes, steamed green beans 17.95" and I thought YUP I CAN PUREE THAT.

Now, I grew up in a family where meatloaf was not a normal meal at dinner.  I had to learn about meatloaf on the mean streets of elementary school of Boulevard Heights Elementary School.  OK, so it wasn't really a mean street, it was more like suburbia,  but the cafeteria food traders were sharks.  But I digress . . .  So, to me, meatloaf is a fun memory, just like Boulevard Heights Elementary School corn bread.


1 unit meatloaf
1 unit vegetable like green beans or broccoli
dash of ketchup
thin with water



DIFFERENT MEATS
There are hundreds of ways to prepare Meatloaf.  At my local Whole Foods, they have turkey meatloaf at the deli.  I've had it gator-style, wild boar, tofu, just to name a few.  The beauty is you just need to and vegetables for a complete meal.  It is really only about adding the right amount of water to achieve the right consistency.

HIDING THE VEGGIES
Now although Boulevard Heights Elementary School typically served buttered green beans with the meatloaf, I'm more of a broccoli fan in my puree.

KETCHUP
Remember you can always add more ketchup as needed so start out light

COMMENTS
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